Decide What Matters Most This Holiday Season

Before the calendar fills, choose three things you most want to protect during the holidays. It could be hosting Thanksgiving, attending a favorite tradition, or having quiet evenings at home. Let those priorities guide which invitations, projects, and expectations receive your time — and which ones can be skipped this year.

Something to do today:

Adjust your clocks for Daylight Savings Time. Your phone probably handled itself, but don’t forget the clocks on the oven, microwave, alarms, coffee maker, car, and any others that don’t change automatically.

Something to do this week:

Use the earlier sunset to adjust your evening routine. Turn on lamps before the house gets too dark, take your walk a little earlier, or start dinner sooner. A small shift can make the time change feel less abrupt.

Classic French Toast

Page 170 in The Simplified Cookbook

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 cup milk

• Butter, for the pan

• 8 slices bread

• Optional: maple syrup, powdered sugar, berries

Directions:

1. Whisk eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and milk in a shallow dish.

2. Heat a pan or griddle over medium heat, and slide butter across it as it gets warm.

3. Dip both sides of a slice and cook about 2 minutes per side. Remove from pan. Repeat with remaining bread slices, adding more butter to the pan as needed.

4. Top with powdered sugar, maple syrup, and/or berries.

Get ahead of your week & make time for the things on your agenda!

• Send out birthday cards for upcoming November birthdays

• Disconnect and drain outdoor hoses before the first freeze

• Host a casual football watch party

• Make sure your flashlights work and have fresh batteries

• Clean and descale the coffee pot

👇What else are you putting in your planner this week?

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How fun are the colors on this plaid fleece!? Walmart has so many great finds right now.

Whitney just ordered these adorable gold dot glasses. Love them!

She also told us this is the BEST fall candle. And yes, she used all caps, so you know she’s serious. It’s made in Florida and on sale right now too!

Lindsey got this beautiful scalloped tissue box cover from the most adorable little shop! They were so sweet to share a discount code with us! Use SIMPLIFIED10 to save 10% on your order!

This loaf pan is so pretty! Would make the sweetest gift for someone who loves to bake. Add a favorite quick bread recipe, and you have such a thoughtful little present!

These plaid pillows are perfection for the holidays. Definitely get them before they sell out!

While you’re pulling out your Christmas decorations, it’s the perfect time to do a little reorganizing! We’ve found some great storage solutions to help keep everything neat and tidy. And they’re cute, too!

We’ve all started loving this lightweight eye gel! It feels so refreshing, especially first thing in the morning or at the end of a long day.

The floral colors of this dress are just perfect for fall, and we love how pretty it would look at Thanksgiving.

Matching holiday tartan pajamas for the whole family?! YES, please! We love a festive matching moment, especially in a classic print!

Each week, we're answering your real-life questions — about routines, meal ideas, work-life balance, favorite movies, and everything in between. Got a question? Leave it in the comments!

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Q: “What is one “future you will be grateful” task you’re completing this month?”

Emily: Stocking up on beautiful wrapping paper and supplies for the holidays. I love the special details that go into gift giving and making sure I’m stocked ahead of time means one less thing on my plate during the busy holiday season.

Brittany: Putting it here so I can commit to actually doing it: finishing our holiday gift buying BEFORE December hits! I really would love to enjoy more slowness of the holiday season, and having this done sooner than later makes more time and space for fun!

Whitney: In the next couple of weeks I typically take inventory of any gifts I bought earlier this year (and stashed away) so I can make a plan for Christmas shopping.

Dusty: Making freezer meals and stocking the freezer with things I know my family will actually eat. There’s something so satisfying about doing a little extra prep now and knowing that future me can pull something out on a busy night and have dinner halfway handled. Future me is always very grateful when past me had the foresight to make a little extra.

Laura: I would love to be totally done with shopping and wrapping by the start of December. This has never happened, but I really want to try to make it happen this year! Today’s TO DO: Make a giant list and make a plan.

Carly: I’m with Dusty on this one — future me will love the extra meal prep I’m tackling now for later in the month when things are super busy. Frozen black bean burgers, extra marinated chicken, Trader Joe’s frozen lunches, some Costco finds — having those in the garage freezer keeps us from eating too much takeout when we’re not in the mood to cook!

Lindsey: Christmas cards. I want them to be ordered, stamped, and ready to go so I can check that off my list!

Liz: Getting my Christmas gift list organized! I like to have my game plan going into Black Friday weekend so I can check off as much as I possibly can ASAP so I’m not scrambling and can enjoy the season semi stress-free.

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Brittany is reviewing all final samples from our 2027 order, working on some new accounting processes, coordinating a full cycle count of everything in the warehouse, making room for new shipments, and getting some big orders ready for Anthro!

Laura is focusing on all things holiday. She’s been not-so-patiently waiting to give our website a merry glow up. Go see how festive it looks!

Lindsey is starting to work on Planner Retreat and Simplicity Challenge. It’s almost time to start setting up 2027 Simplified Planners (on sale now)!

Start a November gratitude jar!

November is here, and it’s the perfect time to slow down and notice all the little things we have to be thankful for! Grab a pretty jar and some small slips of paper. Each day this month, write down something you’re grateful for and drop it in. Encourage everyone in your family to join in! On Thanksgiving, gather around and read them together. Such a sweet way to remember the big blessings and all the little everyday things that make life so wonderful.

What would make this season feel meaningful rather than rushed?

Get your journal for the season here.

Thanks for reading this week’s edition of Sunday Prep! We hope you have the best week! Can’t wait to chat Wednesday in our next Post! 💕

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Halloween lands on a Saturday this year, which means it isn’t just a night. It’s a whole weekend! And the best ones don’t need a Pinterest board or a craft store run or a lot of money and time. Here’s how to make it feel festive with what you already have.

What to Bring That’s Easy (But Looks Like You Tried)

The secret is presentation. Take everything out of its packaging and put it on a real plate, board, or cake stand. That’s half the work.

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It’s about that time of year when you look out the window at 6pm and wonder if it’s socially acceptable to go to bed.

The sun starts setting earlier, the evenings feel longer, and suddenly there’s a whole lot of time between dinner and bedtime that seems to disappear into our phones. You sit down on the couch to check one thing, and before you know it, an hour has passed, you’ve watched twelve videos of someone organizing their refrigerator, and you’re wondering where your evening went.

Sound familiar? (Same. No judgement!)

Now, we’re certainly not against a cozy night on the couch. There are few things better than putting on your pajamas early and watching your favorite show! But there’s something really nice about remembering that just because the sun has gone down doesn’t mean the day has to be over.

In fact, these earlier evenings are a pretty wonderful opportunity to slow down, try something new, spend time with people you love, or finally enjoy the little things you always say you wish you had more time for.

So, the next time you find yourself reaching for your phone out of habit, consider this your little menu of other things to do instead.

20 Phone-Free Ways to Make the Most of Your Evenings

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The holidays are wonderful. But the mental load that comes with them? Not always so wonderful.

And the answer isn’t necessarily doing less of everything. Sometimes it’s just spreading things out so we’re not doing everything at once.

That’s the idea behind The Holiday Sanity Plan.

Starting October 19, we’re breaking the holiday season into 11 manageable weeks. Each week has a few practical things to tackle, a way to make life easier, and something fun to enjoy along the way.

Just small steps that help December feel a little less frantic.

Grab your planner, save this post, and take it one week at a time!

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You’re rinsing that last dish when it comes to you out of nowhere.

The library books are due Friday!!

Then another. You need to plan the work lunch!! You never called back about the dentist!! Then another. Did anyone RSVP to that birthday party? What’s for dinner tomorrow?

By the time you turn off the faucet, you’re exhausted, and you haven’t done a single thing.

If your brain feels like it has too many tabs open, you’re not imagining it. Most of us carry a running list of half-finished thoughts all day long. If you counted, you’d probably land somewhere in the fifties.

And even when you’re not looking at them, they’re still running in the background.

Why Open Tabs Wear You Out

Every open tab takes a little bit of your energy, even the tiny ones. Especially the tiny ones. They show up when you’re trying to fall asleep, in the middle of a conversation, or the second you sit down to relax.

You don’t need to do all 52 things today. You just need to get them out of your head and give each one a place to go. That’s what closes the tab.

What you’ll need: your planner, a pen, a blank sheet of paper, and about 30 minutes.

Step One: The Brain Dump

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Create One Place for Everything Leaving the House

Designate one spot for returns, donations, borrowed items, and packages that need to be mailed. Keeping outgoing items together prevents them from disappearing into closets or sitting in different rooms for weeks. Make checking that spot part of your normal routine whenever you leave the house.

Something to do today:

Clean the things you normally forget. Think remote controls, light switches, doorknobs, cabinet pulls, or the inside of your trash can lid. Ten minutes is plenty.

Something to do this week:

Take a walk just to notice fall. No step goal or workout required! Pick a pretty route, leave your headphones at home, and notice what’s changing around you.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Page 70 in The Simplified Cookbook

Ingredients:

• 8 oz cream cheese

• 1/2 cup ranch dressing

• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

• 2 cups shredded chicken (about 2 chicken breasts or 1 rotisserie chicken)

• 1/2 cup buffalo suace

• Optional: 2 green onions, diced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8 x 8-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together cream cheese, ranch dressing, and half the mozzarella cheese until melted and combined.

3. Add chicken and buffalo sauce and stir to combine. Pour into baking dish.

4. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese and bake for 20 minutes.

Hack: Make this in a disposable pan and bring it to your next football party! Everyone will love it, and when the party’s over, there’s one less dish to bring home and clean. Win-win!

Get ahead of your week & make time for the things on your agenda!

• Send out birthday cards for upcoming October birthdays.

• Plan one night this month to host friends for dinner — casual, nothing fancy, just set the date.

• Replace toothbrush heads and razor blades

• Confirm your voter registration status

• Buy Halloween costumes and candy before the last-minute rush

👇What else are you putting in your planner this week?

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Laura is loving this laundry basket to roll through her house and pick things up. Genius!

The brown and white polka dot dress we’re still not over.

Our team is split between cute Halloween decor and spooky Halloween decor, and these little ghosts somehow meet right in the middle. Even better, they’re only $5!

It’s officially soup season, and we’re all swooning over this BEAUTIFUL non-toxic, nonstick pot. Apparently, it makes your cooking taste better and your stove look better too!

Wait until you feel this blanket. It’s such a good dupe for a much more expensive version. Every color is so pretty, but the espresso adds such a rich, cozy look to any room.

This pink face mask will be saving our skin through the dry, cold months.

Liz and Lindsey both finished Our Perfect Storm this week and talked about it on every meeting. It’s safe to say the both loved it!

These flats were everyone’s favorite last week, and we totally get why. Definitely staying on repeat!

This corduroy dress feels made for fall. Love the color!!

Lindsey just got this bag and is already making everyone else want it. It’s hands-free, goes with everything, and the quality is SO good.

Each week, we're answering your real-life questions — about routines, meal ideas, work-life balance, favorite movies, and everything in between. Got a question? Leave it in the comments!

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Q: “What is something you always put on your calendar before October gets away from you?”

Emily: A football Sunday get together. I love making a big pot of chili with all the toppings while everyone watches a game.

Brittany: We love to go apple picking, and there are so many good places near us to check out. I expect there will be a lot of apple recipes on the meal plan this October, along with some really sweet photos and memories.

Whitney: A trip to the pumpkin patch! My kids looove picking out their own pumpkins, and I love soaking in the cool air and October vibes.

Dusty: I put the holidays on the calendar before the holidays put me on the calendar. Between Thanksgiving, Christmas, family gatherings, school events, travel, and all the “We should get together before Christmas!” plans, things can get crowded quickly. I like to get the big things down early so I can actually enjoy the season instead of realizing on December 20th that I somehow agreed to three dinners on the same night.

Laura: I come from a big college football family, and we always prioritize getting an in-person game on the fall calendar that we can all get to. A favorite fall tradition. Go Irish!

Carly: Halloween party plans! We love to host a little bonfire costume party at our house, and we always have a big list of To-Do’s for it — so the sooner that’s all scheduled out, the better!

Lindsey: I try to get at least one hosting night at our house on the calendar before October gets away from me. We love having our friends over, especially in the backyard, and the October weather is just too good not to take advantage of. I’ll come up with some kind of theme, text everyone a date, and then use it as an excuse to go a little overboard on all the details!

Liz: Our pumpkin patch trip! Aka my excuse to snag the best apple cider donuts. If I don’t pick a weekend in advance, the month sneaks away! Also, I always always always get my Halloween candy the first weekend of October. That way, I don’t forget and things aren’t picked over.

🩷 Have a question for our team? Leave it in the comments and your Q might be featured next week!

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Our NEW Holiday Collection launches tomorrow!! Join Emily LIVE on EmilyLey.com to see all the details at 12pm EDT.

Lindsey is working on all the fun taglines, captions, and campaign themes that will take us through the end of the year. We’re convinced her brain is writing captions at all times.

Laura is deep in designing and planning out the website for Goodpaper. This secret project is getting more exciting by the day!

Whitney and Carly had the best holiday photoshoot with an incredible group of models. We’re so grateful we get to meet the real customers who bring Simplified to life!

And we can’t even believe we’re saying this, but Liz put a Q1 planning meeting on the calendar this week. Somehow, we’re officially talking about 2027!

How to Build Your Fall Capsule Wardrobe

Think of a fall capsule wardrobe as your cute little uniform for the season: a group of pieces you love, that work together, and that actually make sense for the life you’re living.

That last part matters! Before you start pulling pieces, think about what’s actually on your calendar this fall. Are you heading into an office? Working from home? Running kids around all afternoon? Going to football games, date nights, school events, or lots of casual dinners? If you’re spending most of your week as kid Uber, a closet full of gowns probably isn’t going to make getting dressed any easier.

You do not need to buy a whole new wardrobe to build a capsule. Start with what you already own, what you genuinely love wearing, and what fits the plans you actually have!

• Pick your 3 go-to bottoms. Start with the jeans, trousers, skirts, or leggings you already reach for most.

• Choose 4–5 easy tops. Think tees, button-downs, lightweight sweaters, and pieces that can easily mix and match.

• Add 2 layering pieces. A cardigan, blazer, denim jacket, quilted jacket, or whatever works best for your everyday life.

• Choose 2 pairs of shoes. Pick the pairs that work with almost everything and are comfortable enough to actually wear.

• Stick to a simple color palette. Choose a few colors that naturally work together and, most importantly, that you actually love to wear. This makes mixing and matching everything so much easier.

• Create 3 outfit formulas. Think jeans + sweater + loafers; trousers + tee + cardigan; or dress + jacket + boots.

• Try everything on. If something doesn’t fit well, feel good, or work with the rest of your capsule, take it out.

• Take photos of 5 outfits you love. Save them in an album on your phone for mornings when you’re convinced you have nothing to wear.

• Notice what’s actually missing. Don’t shop first. Wear what you have for a few days and pay attention to the gaps.

• Add one fun fall piece. A great bag, patterned dress, scarf, or statement layer keeps your capsule from feeling too boring.

The goal is to build a closet that makes getting dressed feel easier, more confident, and more like you. When you love what you own and know how to wear it, getting dressed becomes something to look forward to instead of one more decision to make.

What traditions or rituals do you look forward to in October?

Get your journal for the season here.

Thanks for reading this week’s edition of Sunday Prep! We hope you have the best week! Can’t wait to chat Wednesday in our next Post! 💕

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There are fewer than 100 days left in 2026. This is usually when people start pushing the things that matter to them off until January. But it’s definitely not too late to start something new. Three months is plenty of time to make it count!

This isn’t a giant list of resolutions, and it isn’t a race to cram everything in before December 31. It’s just deciding, on purpose, how you want to spend the final stretch of the year.

To make it simple, we broke it down into six categories that matter most: mindset, creative, household, money, relationships and community, and rest and joy. Each one has several ideas to get you started. Grab your planner and a pen. Read through each section and write down one or two ideas that make you feel something. That’s your Q4 goal list. Here we go!

The Q4 Goal List

Mindset Goals

How you think about the next three months shapes how they feel. Start here.

• Choose a word for the season. Pick one word, like slow or present or generous, and write it on the first page of October in your planner.

• Decide what “enough” looks like. Before the invitations and wish lists pile up, name what a full but not overflowing season looks like for you.

• Stop comparing. Your season doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s. Not your neighbor’s, not your sister’s, not the ones you see on your phone.

• Let go of one thing. Is there a goal from January that no longer fits where you are right now? Cross it off and make room for what matters now.

• Start a small gratitude habit. Each night, jot down three good things. Keep them small, like warm socks, a good cup of coffee, and a kind text.

• Plan for the hard days. Know what helps you, and write it down before you need it. Maybe that means accepting takeout is a lifesaver during busy season and planning for it, instead of beating yourself up at the last minute.

• Protect a little white space. You don’t have to fill every open night on the calendar. Leave some room for rest, spontaneity, and simply being home.

• Practice being where your feet are. At the table, at the game, on the couch. Put the phone in another room. Love your own life!

Creativity Goals

The cozy months are made for making things. Let yourself play a little!

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Group Errands by Location

Instead of making a separate trip every time something comes up, keep a running list organized by area of town. When you’re already near the pharmacy, grocery store, post office, or shopping center, check what else can be handled nearby. Grouping errands by location saves time and keeps small tasks from controlling your schedule.

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Every January, thousands of you join us for our very favorite refresh: The Simplicity Challenge. One small task each day. Thirty-one days of clearing, organizing, and starting the year with a little more breathing room. One thing we know firsthand — and hear from you again and again — is how much easier it is to get things done when they’re broken into small, manageable steps.

Fall brings a shift in rhythm. We’re back into routines. The days get shorter. We spend more time indoors. The holidays start inching closer. A little preparation now can make all of that feel way more manageable later!

So we created another mini Simplicity Challenge. Seven days. One focus each day. A handful of practical tasks to help you close out summer and make room for fall. You can do the challenge in one week, spread it over a couple of weekends, or simply move through it whenever you have time!

The Fall Simplicity Challenge

Day 1: Clear the Clutter

Every house has a few places where clutter quietly gathers. The junk drawer. The basket filled with things no one knows what to do with. The stack of papers that somehow became permanent.

Today’s tasks:

• Clean out the junk drawer

• Sort and toss one paper pile

• Declutter one catch-all basket or bin

• Clear one crowded cabinet

• Gather stray items from around the house and return them to their homes

• Fill a donation bag and put it straight in your car

If the thought of decluttering feels overwhelming, set a timer for 15 minutes. You don’t have to tackle everything! A few cleared spaces can make a surprisingly big difference.

Day 2: Tidy the Entryway

Fall tends to bring more stuff through the door. Backpacks. Shoes. Jackets. Sports gear. Packages. Eventually, gloves and boots and all the things that seem to multiply near the front door.

Give that space some breathing room.

Today’s tasks:

• Clear shoes that no longer need to be by the door

• Remove anything from the entryway that belongs to summer

• Make space (and a system if needed) for cooler-weather layers

• Clear the entry table or drop zone

• Wash or shake out the doormat

• Wipe down the front door and sanitize around the handle

It doesn’t need to be perfectly organized. It just needs to function better for the season you’re in!

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There are so many things this time of year that aren’t actually hard. They just become significantly more annoying, expensive, or stressful when you wait too long to decide them.

Are we hosting Thanksgiving? Are we doing family photos? Do we need a babysitter for that annual December party? Am I really going apple picking this year, or can I officially stop pretending?

None of these need to become a huge project. Most of them just need an answer! And an answer now means one less thing circling your brain in October, November, and December.

So before October gets busy, we made a list of 20 decisions worth making now. Not necessarily 20 things you need to do this week. Just 20 things to decide so they can either move into your planner, onto a list, or completely out of your head!

Go through it slowly. Some will take thirty seconds. A few might need a conversation. The goal is simply to make life a little easier for your future self.

20 Decisions to Make Before October 1

1. Whether you’re hosting Thanksgiving, traveling, or having a quiet holiday at home.

Tell people now, before the invitations, assumptions, or “I just figured we’d come to you” conversation you don’t want to have later.

You don’t need every detail figured out. You just need the answer!

2. Which weekends between now and Thanksgiving you’re protecting.

Pick two weekends you want to protect now, before they somehow become everyone else’s. Not “maybe we’ll keep that one open.” Actually put them on the calendar!

A free weekend in October can disappear very quickly if you don’t claim it first.

3. What your weeknight rhythm is going to look like this fall.

Which nights are for workouts, dinner at home, date night, errands, church activities, kids’ practices, or doing absolutely nothing?

You don’t need a rigid schedule, but having a general rhythm keeps you from reinventing the week every Monday.

4. Whether you’re doing family photos or holiday cards this year.

Photographer, DIY, last year’s photo, or no cards at all. All valid answers!

But decide now so you’re not panic-texting photographers in November or realizing on December 12 that you still need a picture of everyone looking in the same direction.

5. What you’re officially finishing before November, and what can wait until January.

One house project. One appointment. One lingering task you’ve been saying you’ll get to.

Decide what genuinely needs to happen before the holidays, then give yourself permission to move the rest to January.

There are very few things more freeing than realizing something does not need to happen this fall.

6. What Halloween actually looks like.

Costumes, school parties, trunk-or-treat, neighborhood trick-or-treating, hosting friends.

It can get complicated fast! Make the plan before October makes everything feel urgent.

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When we say “rest,” most of us picture the same image: horizontal, eyes closed, maybe a blanket involved. And sure, that’s rest. But it’s also just one kind, and if you’re the type who can’t sit still long enough for a nap, resents the fifteen minutes it takes to fall asleep, wakes up groggier than before you laid down, or simply doesn’t have a stretch of the day when the house is quiet enough to try — you might be writing yourself out of rest entirely.

Here’s the truth: Your body, your mind, and your emotions each get tired in their own way — which means they each need their own kind of recovery. Physical exhaustion isn’t fixed by scrolling. Mental fog isn’t fixed by sitting on the couch. And emotional depletion definitely isn’t fixed by powering through one more task.

So if napping isn’t your thing, or you simply don’t have the hour, here are ten other ways to actually rest.

Physical rest

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Add a “Use This First” Spot to Your Fridge

Choose one small bin or shelf for produce, leftovers, and ingredients that need to be used soon. Check it before planning dinner, packing lunch, or ordering groceries. You’ll waste less food, spend less time searching through the refrigerator, and make the “What should we eat?” decision much easier.

Something to do today:

Wash your makeup brushes. It’s one of those tasks that’s easy to put off. Wash them today and lay them out to dry so they’re fresh and ready for the week.

Something to do this week:

Pick one morning this week to change up your routine. Take your coffee outside, walk before work, stop somewhere on your way to the office, or make a breakfast you normally save for the weekend.

White Chicken Enchiladas

Page 113 in The Simplified Cookbook

Ingredients:

• 2 cups shredded chicken (about 2 breasts or 1 rotisserie chicken)

• 1/2 cup milk

• 1/2 cup salsa verde

• 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of chicken soup

• 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro, divided

• 10 flour tortillas

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

2. To a mixing bowl, add chicken, milk, salsa verde, cream of. chicken soup, half the cheese, and half the cilantro. Stir to combine.

3. Divide mixture in half.

4. Fill tortillas with half the chicken mixture. Roll to close.

5. Pour remaining chicken mixture over enchiladas, and top with remaining cheese and cilantro.

6. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

This is our team’s favorite dish to bring to a new mom. Make it in a disposable pan for easy cleanup!

Get ahead of your week & make time for the things on your agenda!

• Plan one solo outing this month

• Send out birthday cards for upcoming September birthdays

• Make a list of local fall events (pumpkin patch, festival, fair)

• Clean out gutters

• Schedule pest control appointment

👇What else are you putting in your planner this week?

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Carly printed her summer photos with Shutterfly and shared the best hack with us: Did you know linking your Costco membership gets you 51% off? Such a good excuse to finally print the photos sitting in your camera roll.

Emily is reading You Know Why by J.T. Ellison, who is basically a five-star novelist every single time. If she writes it, we’re reading it.

Next on Brittany’s TBR: We Burned So Bright. What are you reading right now?

You will love these $50 jeans! They have that perfectly classic fit with just enough trend to feel current.

Dusty bought this adorable dress for her daughter’s Meet the Teacher night. 🥹 Her daughter is the best teacher, so of course Dusty wanted to gift her the cutest dress for the occasion.

Our favorite (!!!) dress is back in brown polka dots! We’ve been known to sell this style out, so grab it while you can.

Putting pumpkins out soon? This garland is such a cute little way to add some Halloween fun ... if you’re ready!

Sneaker mules are definitely back this season! So cute, so comfortable, and so convenient to throw on!

How beautiful is this suede tote for fall?! It’s the perfect size for your everyday purse, work essentials, or even as a diaper bag. And the quality is next level!

We shared lots of music recs this week! Ella Langley and Sienna Spiro are on heavy rotation around here, especially during a workday.

Each week, we're answering your real-life questions — about routines, meal ideas, work-life balance, favorite movies, and everything in between. Got a question? Leave it in the comments!

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Q: “What is one task you love checking off — and one you tend to avoid?”

Emily: Picking up prescriptions or dry cleaning. I tend to put these things off because they are monotonous, but batching them together in one big errand morning helps me make sure we have what we need and those tasks aren’t lingering.

Brittany: I love putting away all of the laundry and my laundry room being spotless. Probably only happens once a week but it’s THE best feeling to me! Cleaning the bathrooms is my kryptonite, I put it off and then when it’s time to scrub, I regret that I put it off — it’s a silly cycle!

Whitney: I’m going to sound so weird here, but I love going through my email inbox and clearing it out each workday morning. It feels so good when it’s tidy and I’m caught up! I tend to avoid cleaning my office after a shoot, sometimes I’m just too wiped out to handle it that day.

Dusty: I love checking “dinner is figured out” off my list. There’s something so satisfying about opening the fridge, knowing exactly what I’m making, and having everything ready to go. The task I tend to avoid? Cleaning out the fridge. I’ll happily meal prep, cook, and feed everyone, but deciding whether that container of leftovers is still good? Somehow that’s where I draw the line.

Laura: Scheduling the appointments. I have to bribe myself with a little treat to make those happen. Those sit on my to-do lists for soo long, but I’ve learned that I need to just schedule the next appointment while I’m leaving the current one. Helps so much!

Carly: I love breaking down big work or home projects into smaller tasks and checking those off as I go. It is so motivating to see literally the progress happening on the page. I do tend to avoid putting away clean laundry. It always sits in the basket for way too long, but I do it every time!

Lindsey: I love checking off work tasks, especially when it’s a creative project I’ve been working on and I can finally call it DONE. At home, though ... I’m a professional procrastinator. I can finish a whole creative project before I convince myself to do the laundry that’s been piling up all week.

Liz: Placing my grocery order and checking that off my list is the BEST feeling every Sunday. I love planning and getting excited about our meals for the week, and placing an Instacart order takes an hour long outing and cuts it down to about 5 minutes. The best. The one I put off is putting laundry away 🙈. I don’t mind washing it, I don’t even mind folding it. But it will sit in laundry baskets for an embarrassingly long time.

🩷 Have a question for our team? Leave it in the comments and your Q might be featured next week!

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We’re working on some secret projects. Mark your planners for September 23 — you’ll want to be ready for this one!

Whitney and Carly are finalizing locations for our holiday photo and video content, which means rentals, product samples, outfits, models, and approximately one million tiny details. If you’ve ever wanted to be a real model for Simplified, apply here!

Behind the scenes at Simplified looks a lot like someone asking if something is “cute or ugly?” The honesty is usually brutal, and it makes us laugh every single time.

We all spent a lot of time this week getting everything ready for our Fall Reset Sale! It ends tomorrow, so don’t miss your chance to shop the new markdowns!

Fall Reset Checklist

A few simple ways to refresh your routines, space, and schedule for the season ahead. Save it to your phone, print it out, and check things off as you go!

What is inspiring you right now? How can you be more creative this season?

Get your journal for the season here.

Thanks for reading this week’s edition of Sunday Prep! We hope you have the best week! Can’t wait to chat Wednesday in our next Post! 💕

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Phew.

Did you hear that deep breath September brought in? School is back in session. Routines are kicking in. Dinnertime is a little more predictable. Pool towels aren’t in the laundry every single day. For those of us who thrive on a little structure, it finally feels like we’re coming back to ourselves.

Summer loosens everything — the schedule, the house, your grip on the whole operation — and that’s part of its charm. But somewhere along the way, “loose” can start to feel a little unraveled.

So before we dive into our Fall Simplicity Challenge later this month, start here. This isn’t a total overhaul. It’s a reset you can do in an afternoon, not a month, that will make a difference.

Reset your space.

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Put One Busy Hour on Autopilot

Choose the hour of your day that consistently feels the most rushed and create a simple default for it. Maybe mornings always include the same breakfast options, the after-work hour begins with changing clothes and starting dinner, or bedtime follows the same short sequence each night. Simplifying one predictable pressure point can make everything around it feel easier.

Something to do today:

Clean out your car’s cup holders and center console. Toss receipts and trash, bring stray items inside, and start Monday with a cleaner car.

Something to do this week:

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Here’s the thing about fall: We spend all of July counting down to it. The first cool morning, the first pumpkin patch, the first hot latte — we look forward to these for months! And then the season actually arrives, and somehow we’re drinking that first latte in the car, on the way to something else, already thinking about the next thing.

Before you know it, you’re moving through the season instead of actually living in it. Enjoying it. Loving it.

So this season, an invitation: slow down enough to actually notice them. Not just check them off — feel them. Here’s the list to keep in your back pocket.

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